Dubai’s Meydan City Corporation has recently unveiled plans for a sprawling 3,671,000-sq-m (nearly 39,514,000-sq-ft) mixed-use destination, with a myriad of entertainment, retail and housing facilities, right at the heart of the desert city. Dubbed as Meydan One, the complex will boast the world’s tallest residential tower, the largest dancing water fountain and also, a 1.2-km indoor ski slope deemed as the longest one to be ever built.
The plan, recently approved by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, proposes the construction of a multi-purpose complex, offering a stunning range of attractions and facilities, in between Meydan and the neighboring Al Khail Road. The project’s first phase is slated to complete by 2020, when the UAE’s most populous city will be home to more than 3.4 million people. According to the developers, Meydan One can accommodate over 78,300 residents, most of whom will be staying in the Dubai One tower.
Measuring up to 711-m (around 2,333-ft) in height, the tower will likely be the world’s tallest residential building. Its 350,000-sq-m floor area will include 885 apartments, a five-star luxury hotel, a plaza-level restaurant and terrace, a huge conference center and also, the Meydan One Marina Yacht Club. Additionally, it would feature the world’s highest restaurant at around 675-m (2214-ft) above the ground as well as the world’s highest observation deck at nearly 655-m (2148-ft) into the sky. Speaking about the development project, Saeed Humaid Al Tayer, the Chairman of Meydan Group LLC, said:
This development is a forward thinking, interactive enterprise geared towards the Dubai of tomorrow. The encouragement and support we have received in the past from our trusted partners will now help the Meydan One development come to life. The first phase will be completed as Dubai prepares to host the World Expo 2020.
Although smaller than the proposed Mall of the World, the Meydan One Mall will provide a startling range of entertainment, retail and fine dining options. Possessing more than 300 restaurants, kiosks and cafes, the mall will help attract tourists and shoppers from across the world. Furthermore, it would feature a spectacular 150 x 80 m (nearly 492 x 262 ft) retractable roof, which would be pulled back during the cool winter months for outdoor dining and shopping. Al Tayer added:
In a city which never stops innovating, [the] announcement is significant for the future of Dubai and the UAE. We have committed to developing a multi-use destination which goes beyond expectations and will cater to every kind of person living and working here, as well as those who travel from around the world to visit.
Conceived as “Dubai’s No. 1 leisure destination”, the Meydan One plan makes provision for state-of-the-art indoor and outdoor sporting facilities. In addition to the world’s longest ski slope designed for indoor skiing and snowboarding, the complex will house an enormous 25,000-sq-m (approx. 269,100-sq-ft) multi-functional indoor sports area, for a multitude of activities including football, tennis, squash, basketball, indoor cricket, martial arts, volleyball, golf, lacrosse, hockey and so on.
With a seating capacity of nearly 60,000 people, the civic plaza will host a variety of events, such as concerts, festivals, gatherings, sports and fashion shows and others. The design includes provisions for a floating stage, a mesmerizing waterfall as well as what would eventually be the world’s largest synchronized fountain, rising up to 420-m (or 1,378-ft) in height. The adjacent Meydan Arena will be used to conduct sporting events and live shows, for over 8,000 guests.
The complex will boast a number of outdoor attractions, including sports facilities like football pitches, a specially-designed skateboard park and a spectacular BMX park. Additionally, there will be more than 5.3-km (approx. 3.3-mi) of jogging and biking trails, a broadwalk stretching up to 9-km (5.6-mi), a 4-km (or 2.5-mi) water canal and a separate 100-berth marina. A 300-m (about 984-ft) long artificial beach will allow visitors to indulge in swimming, sea kayaking, beach volleyball and paddle boats. Come night, the guests can head over to a beach bar and restaurant or can enjoy the stunning night-time light works. Al Tayer stated:
Our efforts in creating world-class indoor and outdoor sporting facilities reinforce the role we are playing in the community to create sustainable, sought after services that will contribute to the health of our nation. These are exciting times at the Meydan City Corporation and the hard work starts now to ensure Meydan One is Dubai’s No. 1 leisure, hospitality and residential district.
